New Release: 2024 Utah Seismic Safety Commission Report and Recommendations

adminDisasters, Preparedness

Utah’s natural beauty and thriving communities coexist with the ever-present potential for seismic activity. The 2024 Utah Seismic Safety Commission Report and Recommendations is a forward-looking document, offering valuable guidance to the Utah Legislature. This report is a positive step toward securing the state’s future resilience in the face of seismic challenges. 2024 Key Recommendations for the Utah Legislature: The …

Join Us October 2023! QuakeSmart Preparedness Workshop for Businesses and Organizations

adminPreparedness, Resources

Hosted by the Utah Division of Emergency Management (DEM), Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH), and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), join us as part of our 2023 Preparedness Workshop Series with the QuakeSmart Preparedness Workshop for Businesses and Organizations! It will be held on October 4, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with lunch included! At this workshop, …

New Release: Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country, 2nd Edition

adminGeology, Preparedness

When the ground starts shaking from an earthquake, do you know what to do? Do you know why we have earthquakes in Utah, how we monitor them, and how we mediate their effects? The Utah Seismic Safety Commission (USSC) recently released the second edition of the booklet, Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country—Your Handbook for Earthquakes in Utah (a.k.a. “Roots”) …

FEMA, Utah DEM Release Inventory of Unreinforced Masonry Public School Buildings

Jackie DewolfeNews releases, Preparedness

SALT LAKE CITY – Today, FEMA and the Utah Department of Public Safety’s Division of Emergency Management (Utah DEM) released an inventory of unreinforced masonry (URM) school buildings in the state. The inventory has been in development over the past decade to support state efforts to identify URM buildings of all types, which are at greater risk of damage in …

Earthquake Report Outlines Top Priorities

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Water and schools are among the Commission’s biggest concerns. Salt Lake City — The Utah Seismic Safety Commission (USSC) calls on state policymakers to implement five actions to improve Utah’s resilience to a major earthquake. The USSC identified the five projects in partnership with local nonprofit Envision Utah and support from the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, the Structural Engineers Association …

Over 2,500 Aftershocks Recorded Since Last Year’s Magna Earthquake

Mackenzie CopeGeology, News releases, Preparedness

Magna Earthquake Does Not Diminish the Risk of a Major M7 to M7.5 Earthquake Salt Lake City — Thurs., March 18, 2021 marks the one year anniversary of the moderate magnitude (M) 5.7 earthquake that struck northern Utah near Magna. The mainshock was widely felt across the Wasatch Front. Over 30,000 felt reports were received by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) …

Seismic Retrofits Pay Off For Murray Schools

Mackenzie CopeNews releases, Preparedness

“Earthquakes happen when they wanna happen,” says Doug Perry, public information officer for the Murray School District. “Unfortunately, the Magna Quake [March 18] happened in the middle of a pandemic. Not having to worry about our school buildings ─ that they survived and performed well ─ was a huge relief for our district.” That’s because the Murray School District decided …

6 months after the quake: Looking back on dump trucks, demons and husbands

Jackie DewolfeDisasters, English, Preparedness

What did the earthquake feel like to you? This post hit the web at 7:09 a.m. today. That’s exactly six months to the minute since many Utahns felt their first earthquake. Can you believe it? The thing about your first earthquake is that your brain often doesn’t think it’s an earthquake right away. Why does it do that? We’ll get …

Manufactured Homes in Earthquakes – How to Protect Your Home & Family

Mackenzie CopeNews releases, Preparedness, Resources

Photo from ABC4 Utah article SALT LAKE CITY – Manufactured homes are especially at risk from earthquakes and their aftershocks. Many manufactured homes rest on slender supports that can collapse or buckle during earthquakes, causing injuries to the occupants and damage to the structure, contents, water heater and utilities.  Collapse can make doors and other exits unsafe while fractured gas …

Are You Ready for the Next Earthquake?

Mackenzie CopeDisasters, News releases, Preparedness

SALT LAKE CITY – While earthquakes are inevitable, the damage they cause is not. Utah homeowners can take simple actions to reduce property damage and the disruption to their lives caused by earthquakes. One of the best non-structural measures you can undertake is strapping down your water heater. An earthquake-damaged water heater can cause fires, flooding, and carbon monoxide build-up …